A journalism student from the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) was recently confronted and threatened by members of the Talyul clan in the Wabag district of Enga Province, according to The National.
The student, Albert Kamani of Wapenamanda, reported that he was covering a roadblock and the burning of a Criminal Investigation Division police vehicle in Wabag when a group of men from Irelya village surrounded him and asked where he was from. Kamani explained that he was traveling from the National office in Mt. Hagen to document why the protesters had blocked the road and attacked the police vehicle.
He said the men grabbed his hand, demanded to know which part of Enga he was from, and confiscated his camera. The attackers then deleted all the photos he had taken before releasing him. Kamani expressed concern that such threats undermine press freedom, and called upon local residents not to take the law into their own hands.
“This kind of treatment toward a journalist reflects poorly on Enga Province,” he remarked. “Journalists play a vital role in educating, informing, and highlighting issues that affect people. Threatening them without cause is unacceptable.”
Kamani appealed to the youths involved to respect the role of media and allow journalists to work without fear.